Inmate housing contract, official acceptance of two police dogs approved

Tuesday

Jul 18, 2017 at 8:00 AM

By Tiffany Dittotiffany.ditto@ardmoreite.com

City Commissioners approved a motion to dispose of ten police cars, accept two new drug dogs and renew the city’s contract to house inmates at the Carter County jail in what proved to be a beneficial meeting for the police department.

The Ardmore Police Department relies on the Carter County jail to house anyone arrested by the department. However, these services aren’t free.

Ardmore Commissioners approved a motion Monday to pay the county a base cost of $135,000 over the course of a year in monthly installments of $11,250 for these services — an increase of $20,000 since last year.

“Expenses certainly don’t go down in cost,” City Manger J.D. Spohn said. “It’s a good deal considering what they do for us because we certainly don’t want a jail.”

This year marks the first year, in three years, since the cost of housing the inmates has gone up.

The contract allows the city to house an average of 125 inmates and 175 days of incarceration per month. The extra days, allow for some inmates to remain in jail for more than one day. However, some months could cost extra depending on the number of arrests APD makes, and the length of time each inmate stays incarcerated. At the end of the year the totals are averaged over 12 months and any excess amount is billed to the city at a rate of $25 for each inmate, and $25 for each additional day.

“This is still a bargain,” APD Chief Ken Grace said.

APD will also hold a sealed bid for 10 police cars that they no longer use, thanks to the commission’s approval. The newest car being declared surplus is 10 years old.

Grace said the cars have been replaced already.

Among the cars to go to auction are: five Ford Crown Victorias with year models ranging from 1997-2008, one 2005 Chevrolet Impala and three Dodge Chargers with year models ranging from 2006-2007.

Commissioners also approved the official acceptance of two Police K-9s, Marshal and Diesel, from an anonymous donor. The dogs were donated to the department earlier this year and graduated, with their APD handlers, from the K-9 academy in Arkansas on June 1.